


Talk

by madders



Series: Out Of Gas AU [7]
Category: Firefly
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-11
Updated: 2012-07-11
Packaged: 2017-11-09 16:06:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/457363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madders/pseuds/madders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Follows on from "Return," "Wait," "Interlude" and "Stay"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talk

Jayne watched from the doorway as everyone spoke to Mal. He smiled a at the little-boy-lost look on his face as he came round and remembered what had happened, that look making him somehow look both smaller and younger.

The smile fell from his face as Inara claimed credit for them turning around, her hand on his leg. Jayne bunched up his fists, stopping hisself from reaching out and pulling her off of Mal by her shiny black hair.

Suddenly he felt a soft brush of fingers on his wrist before Kaylee moved into the room.

“Hey Cap’n. You fixed the ship.” She told him, grabbing his attention. “Good work.”

Mal looked over at her and smiled drowsily. “Thanks.”

Mal’s gaze roamed from Kaylee to Jayne, and he felt everything else fall away as their gazes locked. Mal grinned at him, his expression telling Jayne that everything would be alright, and that he knew the truth about Inara’s claim. Jayne grinned back, glad to know that even mostly drugged and half his blood supply missing, he still knew Jayne’s mind as well as his own.

Jayne only half heard the Doc tell everyone politely to get the hell out and leave Mal be, watching as Mal started to drift off again. He frowned as Mal forced hisself awake, feeling his own heart clench at the tone in his voice as he asked them if they were all gonna be there when he woke.

Book recovered first, patting his leg gentle-like and telling him yes, but Mal was looking more at Jayne when he said it.

“That’s good. That’s good.” Mal replied, this time slipping off without a fuss, and they started filing out of the infirmary with only a little push from the Doc.

Jayne moved out of the way but hung back, not leaving. The Doc gave Zoë another checking over before letting Wash take her back to their bunk, so long as she stayed there a spell.

Finally, when it was just Mal and the Doc left in there, he looked over at Jayne and beckoned him in.

“Doc?” Jayne asked, a million questions in that one word.

“He’s fine Jayne.” He replied.” His heart rate is a little higher than I’d like, but not overly so.”

“S’that big damn needle got anythin’ ta do wit’ it?” Jayne asked, stepping up beside the bed.

“What needle?”

“You know. One like you gave Zoë a ‘fore. Big one. Adre…sumthin’”

“Adrenalin?” Simon asked, his mouth falling open.

“That’s the one.” Jayne nodded. “’Cos there was one on the floor in here a ‘fore, ‘n I know you wouldna left it.”

Simon shook his head, half in shock and half in horror at the thought of Mal being desperate enough to do that to himself.

“Lao tian.” Simon swore, shaking his head. “Well that certainly explains it. He shook his head again.

“T’aint gonna hurt him none is it Doc?” Jayne asked, worried.

“No, no.” He replied. “It’s just… to be so desperate that you’d inject yourself in the heart like that…” He trailed off, looking down at Mal. Now he was looking for it, he could see the puncture mark where the needle had gone in and he brushed his fingers over it in wonder.

“Ain’t no power in the ‘verse can stop Mal iffin he has ta do sumthin’ bad ‘nough.” Jayne replied. “Even if he has ta do sumthin’ stupid to get it. Ain’t ya learned that yet?”

Simon looked at Jayne and laughed.

“I thought I had, but he’s always finding another way to surprise me it seems.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the purpose-like. Keeps people on their toes. Friend ‘n foe alike.” Jayne smiled down at Mal, brushing his fingers across Mal’s cheek. Mal stirred a little, pushing hisself into the touch, but didn’t wake.

“I thought you might like to stay here with him.” Simon told him and Jayne looked up.

“Thought you wanted him left alone?”

Simon shook his head. “I said he needed to rest, and he is. There’s no reason why you can’t stay, so long as you don’t disturb him.” Jayne nodded accepting what he said. Simon grabbed the chair Wash had vacated and moved it closer to Jayne.

Jayne sat down, taking Mal’s hand in his own.

“Thanks Simon.” Jayne spoke, stopping him in his tracks.

Simon realized that it was the first time Jayne had ever called him by his name and he smiled, leaving them alone for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> Lao tian= oh Lord / Good heavens


End file.
